The Power-hungry are Fueling Violence in the Central African Republic

Note: This op-ed originally appeared in French in Le Monde and was written by Enough Project Researcher, Nathalia Dukhan.

Fourteen armed factions, a multitude of local militia groups, invasions by mercenaries from neighboring countries, and a militia army — in August 2017, less than a year after the official retreat of the French military operation, Sangaris, this is the situation confronting the Central African Republic (CAR). More than 80 percent of the country is controlled by or under the influence of armed militia groups.

The security and humanitarian situation has been disastrous for the past 10 months. In recent days, the towns of Bangassou, Gambo and Béma, situated in the east of the country, have been the scene of massacres and sectarian violence. While the leaders of the armed groups shoulder much of the blame, they are not the only ones responsible for this escalation of violence. Political actors and their support networks, operating more discretely in the background but equally hungry for power and personal gain, are supporting and perpetuating these crimes…